HOKDEUM. 183 



tend sowing an acre of good land witli it for summer 

 pasturage. 



The single plants met with in gardens and amongst 

 field crops are certainly objectionable, on account of 

 their ''long, creeping roots, branching in every di- 

 rection, taking complete possession of the soil, and 

 impoverishing it ;" but when grown in a body this 

 is very much obviated, and very likely to counteract^ 

 to a great extent, its scourging habits. 



2. T. Dasytachyum, Gray, Sandy shores of Lakes 

 Huron and Superior, and northward. 



3. T. Caninum (Awned Wheat grass). It has no 

 creeping rootstalks, like Couch grass. Is found in 

 woods and banks of streams, from New York to 

 Wisconsin, and northward. 



45. HOPtDEUM— Linn, Barley. 



GENEEIC CHAKACTEPv. 



Spikelets 1-flowered, with an awl-shaped rudiment 

 on the inner side, three at each joint of the rhachis, 

 but the lateral ones usually imperfect or abortive^ 

 and short-stalked ; glumes side by side in front of 

 the spikelets, six in number, forming a kind of invo- 

 lucre, slender, and awn-pointed or bristle form ; 

 palets herbaceous, the lower (anterior) convex, long- 

 awned from the apex ; stamens 3 ; grain oblong, 

 commonly adhering to the palets ; spike often separ- 

 ating into joints. Ours are annuals or biennials, or 



scarcely perennials. 



Gray. 

 An ancient Latin name. 



